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Baja GB 2007: Finalised regulations for Britain´s first FIA Baja.

Officials of the Baja-Organiser Baja Wales Limited are now finalising the regulations for this year's Baja GB 2007, Britain's first ever international Baja-type motorsport event, which will form the third round of the 2007 FIA International Cup for Cross-Country Bajas on August 17th-19th.

Officials have now confirmed that the 2007 Baja - which ran for the first time as a candidate event in August last year - will have the full backing of the Welsh Assembly Motorsport Initiative and the Forestry Commission Wales, in addition to the Motor Sports Association (MSA).

Members of the organising team, including Clerk of the Course Chris Tomley and Marketing Director Selwyn Kendrick, have been working with the Forestry Commission in recent days to finalise an exciting and challenging route through the Hafren and Myherin forest complexes, with a centralised service park at nearby Sweet Lamb. The rally headquarters and media centre will be located in fully-equipped offices within the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells.

"Due to the enthusiastic support of the Welsh Assembly Government for the event, Forestry Commission engineers have been busy working on a new link road and other route improvements," said Chris Tomley.

"We are working with the Commission's forest managers to ensure these improvements will accrue for the long term benefit of, not only other national and club level motor sport events, including bike events, but also for the many other users of the forests from walkers and horse riders through to dog sledge racing teams."

Andrew Kellitt has been working to finalise the route timetable and road books for the Baja, which has already attracted considerable interest from international competitors, keen to join what the organisers hope will be a bumper entry of cars, quads and bikes in August.

Chris Tomley headed a small group who visited the Baja Italy in Pordenone, round one of the FIA International Cup for Cross-Country Bajas, on a fact-finding mission and was impressed with the feedback and support he received for Baja GB. He has already received enquiries from the Tibau Team, Promotech, Bowler and competitors from the Middle East keen to take part in the event.

Following discussions with the German FIA-Officer Wolfgang Schindele in Pordenone, Baja GB looks set to use an exciting and technologically-advanced Sporttraxx tracking system. This will improve safety on the event and enable rally control to keep track of all competitors. Baja GB 2007 is open to cars complying to both FIA T1 and T2 regulations, although there will also be a separate event running over the same weekend for motorcycle competitors under the auspices of the Auto Cycle Union (ACU) Bikesport GB.

"Regulations for both cars and bikes are being finalised at the present and the interest from competitors in both categories has been amazing," added Tomley. "We expect to have a large number of foreign entries and have just appointed a hotel accommodation manager to deal just with accommodation, as this is the height of the Welsh holiday season and we want to ensure everyone wanting accommodation finds it easily. Her details will be published in the regulations and rally guide."

Entry forms and regulations will be available from [ www.BajaWales.com ] in the coming days and the organisers have now confirmed that entry fees for competitors in both the Baja GB and Y Rali Bryn Cymru will be £1,200 for 421km of stages. Entry fees for motorcycle competitors will be £200. Further entry information is available from Wendy Tomley, E-mail: [ wt@bajawales.com ].